Ask for the Moon this Christmas

Moon phase watches for women are a perennial favourite and exert as strong a gravitational pull on our imagination as our closest celestial neighbour. One of the most poetic complications on a watch, a Moon phase shows the waxing and waning of the satellite as it orbits the Earth over 29.5 days in an aperture on the dial. From traditional Patek Philippe watches to diamond-studded Montblancs, we’ve lined up five Moon phase watches for the Christmas season that glow like moonbeams on the wrist.

Patek Philippe
Ref. 4948 rose gold watch
£46,240

Shoot for the Moon with this fabulous 38mm rose gold watch with Moon phases and an annual calendar from Patek Philippe. The shimmering white Balinese mother-of-pearl dial sets the stage for the poetic Moon phase counter situated at 6 o’clock, just above the date window. Twinkling like stars in the firmament, the bezel, case, crown and buckle shimmer with diamonds. Presented on a white alligator strap with large squares, this is one ladies’ watch that will certainly be mooned over.

IWC
Portofino Automatic Moonphase 37
£6,550

With the launch of the Portofino Midsize range of IWC watches in 2014, the company was deliberately ambiguous about its gender. At 37mm, the Portofino swings both ways and appeals to men and women alike. This Moon phase model in a 37mm stainless steel case is decidedly feminine with a white mother-of-pearl dial and 12 diamonds placed as hour markers. The Moon phase indicator is at 12 o’clock and displays a gold Moon set against a starry midnight-blue sky. Equipped with a mechanical automatic movement, this lovely watch is presented on a green alligator strap from acclaimed Italian leather house Santoni.

Zenith
Elite Ultra Thin Lady watch
£15,300

Zenith developed an ultra-thin automatic movement for its ladies’ watches featured in the Elite collection to give them an elegant, svelte profile. This 33mm rose gold model features a delicious chocolate brown sunray dial with the phases of the Moon displayed in a window at 6 o’clock. Diamonds set in the bezel add a sophisticated touch to the timepiece, which comes on a rich rose gold bracelet that sits beautifully on the wrist.

Montblanc
Bohème Moongarden watch
£8,600

Montblanc watches feature a Moon phase with a twist that you rarely encounter on timepieces of this genre. In addition to the traditional Moon phase window at 6 o’clock, a crescent-shaped aperture flowing between 8 and 2 o’clock reveals the 12 changing names of the full Moon. These appellations, originally invented by tribes to track the seasons, have dreamy names such as Ice Moon and Oak Moon, and pop up in the window on a monthly basis, doubling up as a calendar. Housed in a 36mm red gold case with a diamond-studded bezel, the refined guilloché dial of the Bohème Moongarden reveals yet another useful function with a red-tipped hand to read the date of the month.

Ulysse Nardin
Classico Lady Luna watch
£15,900

The phases of the Moon on this Classico Lady Luna watch are so realistically depicted that the colour of the orbiting Moon actually changes - increasing or decreasing as the satellite waxes and wanes. Housed in a 35mm rose gold case set with diamonds, the rotating centre of the white mother-of-pearl dial features a blue aventurine globe studded with diamonds representing the Earth, while in the smaller aperture the Moon makes its appearance. Beautifully detailed, the hour hand features a star and the seconds hand a small crescent Moon.

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Luxury goods and lifestyle writer Rebecca began writing for the Financial Times in Mexico City in the early 1980s. Formerly the editor of the Tiempo de Relojes website, Rebecca joined The Jewellery Editor with a wealth of experience in watches. ...

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